Internal-combustion engine



v H. WIESNER. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

' APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9, 1919.

1,369,511. Patented 1 012 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

W czmi a- H. WIESNER.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION HLED JUNE 9,1919.

Patentefl Feb. 22,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' per impulse,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY WIESNER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 1921.

Application filed June 9, 1919. Serial No. 302,857.

method of operating them and has for its object to utilize a large portion of the energy usually carried away by the exhaust gases of combustion and to reduce other heat losses and more particularly the heat that is dispersed by cooling water or by forcible drafts of air.

Other, further and more particular objects of my invention will become readily apparent, to persons skilled in the art, from a consideration of the following description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a central section of my improved. multiple cylinder en ine in wh1ch my method of procedure may e carried into effect.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a central modification.

In all the views the same reference characters are employed to indicate similar parts.

As the two stroke cycle engine offers greater advantage than the four cycle engine, providing a smaller number of cycles it has been selected to show the proper arrangement of parts and the general construction of such an engine that is necmy mode of procedure into by changing somewhat the vertical section of a essary to carry efi'ect, although arrangement of pear to one skilled in the art, the method herein disclosed is qually applicable to engines of the four cycle type. p

In carrying my invention into effect, I prefer to use three cylinders with as many reciprocating pistons, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, all of the pistons belng connected to a common power-shaft and being of relatively appropriate size.

In this exemplification,

cylinder 1 is used for compressing the charge whlch later,

the parts, as will readily apthe end of the instroke, is transferred to cylinder 2, the piston of which at that time is also at the end of its instroke because both pistons move in unison, as will be seen from their respective cranks being at the same angle, and on the same side of the axis of the shaft. The transfer of the compressedcharge, from cylinder 1 to cylinder 2, is followed immediately by its ignition and the expanding gases in c linder 2 are producing the power stroke. ll hen piston 10, in cylinder 2, has traveled the first one-half of its power stroke, the remaining portion of the stroke will not so advantageously utilize the expanding gases of the charge, therefore I 'utilize the gases from this cylinder in another cylinder of preferably larger dimensions, and for this purpose the port 11 in the side of the cylinder 2 will be open, which leads to channel 12 forming a communication between cylinders 2 and the top of cylinder 3.

It will be observed that the cranks within cylinders 1 and 2 are coincident and in cylinders 2 and 3 they are at right angles to each other, being 90 degrees apart, the crank of cylinder 3 following the former immediately in the direction of motion. Therefore, when piston 10, in cylinder 2 is at its mid-stroke, the crank of cylinder 3 is at the end of its instroke. These respective positions are clearly shown in Fig. 1. I

When in these positions the gases from cylinder 2, still under pressure,- enter cyl inder 3 and begin their expansible effect on the piston 13, which is preferably much larger in sectional area, thereby creating a second power stroke which is commencing about the time that the crank in cylinder 2 has progressed about midway of its power stroke. Thus two power strokes or impulses are available from one charge of burning gases in a given cycle, but if another set of three cylinders are applied to the same crank shaft, as may be done, four power strokes would thus be obtained in one revolution of the crank shaft by the use of an engine havin six cylinders.

ore specifically describing the structure shown, 4 is a carbureter, attached to the intake pipe 5, and when piston 6 in cylinder 1 is starting on its out or suction stroke, the suction valve 7 is open by means of a push rod operated from the cam shaft which in the structure shown in Fi .1 turns at the same speed as the crank s aft. Of course this valve may be operated direct from the power shaft, or it may open by reason of attenuation within cylinder 1.

Valve 7 is kept open during the entire out stroke and will be closed after piston 6 has started on its instroke or compression stroke.

A delivery valve 20 in the cylinder head of the cylinder 1, controls the passage of the highly compressed charge into the cylinder 2. For this purpose, a powerful spring 21, in the valve cover 22, keeps the valve closed until the desired pressure is reached, or until a short time before the. end of the instroke of the piston 6. The action of the valve 20 may be made automatic to open at a critical pressure by adjustment of the spring 21, but it may also be made to move positively at a predetermined time by any convenient mechanicalgmechanism arranged for the purpose.

A small part of the residuary gases in cylinder 2, remaining from the previous combustion, will be compressed by the simultaneous upstroke of piston 10 and the compressed charge from cylinder 1 is now injected into the clearance within the combustion space of cylinder 2. The charge is immediately ignited by means of the spark plug 23, or by any other suitable igniting method, the pressure in cylinder 2may be sufficiently high to ignite the charge spontaneously. The power stroke is now taking place in the cylinder 2 and since the valve 20 is closed by the spring 21, the suction stroke is taking place in cylinder 1 by the outward movement of the piston 6.

When piston 10 is in a position shown at the middle of its stroke, the port 11, in

cylinder 2, is open and the gases ,of combustion from the cylinder 2 then flow throughthe channel 12 into the upper part of cylinder 3. Y

For a better understanding of the mode of operation, it might be well to consider here the last power stroke of cylinder 3. When piston 13, in cylinder 3, commenced its previous power stroke, piston 10, in cylinder 2, was at midstroke, andwhen piston 13 reaches midstroke, piston 10 is at the end of its 'outstroke. Immediately after piston 10 startsonits instroke, piston 13 is completing its outstroke and near the end of the latter, the exhaust port 14 is opened, whereby all the gases are ejected and atmospheric pressure is established in the cylinder 3 and also in cylinder 2, since the port 11 at this time has not yet been closed. A little later, however, port 11 will be closed by the ascending piston 10 and a half cylinder full of gases of combustion will be trapped in cylinder 2. An outlet for a portion of these gases is provided by the valve 15, located in the cylinder head 16. The valve will be kept open for a short time by the cam 17 on the counter or main shaft, as the case may be, and as shown in Fig. 2.

While the ingoing piston 10 is reaching midstroke, piston 13 commences its instroke. The exhaust port 14 will be closed and a portion of the burned products of combustion or gases in cylinder 3 will be scavenged out through the valve 18, which is opened, at a predetermined time, by the cam 19 on the cam shaft, so that about two thirds of the gases are forced out of the cylinder 3, while" one-third of them remains. carcerated gases are compressed by the further instroke of the piston 13, which will fill the clearance space above t piston and the channel 12 so that the pr sure obtained therein will approximately e al that existing in the cylinder 2 at the time when the piston 10 is about to open the port 11. The compression of these gases into the clearance space of cylinder 3, and into the channel 12, is of greatest importance, in fact it is essential to utilize efliciently the compound effect of the expanding gases from cylinder The in- 2 because if no such counter-pressure prepounding gas engines is depending upon it,

and can only be carried out efliciently when the gases, available for the purpose, are still under high pressure, and when they are utilized in spaces containing a corresponding counter pressure. 4

In Fig. 3,' 1 represents the cylinder in which the gases are compressed, 2 is the cylinder in which explosion takes place and 3 is the low pressure cylinder in which the products of combustion of a previous charge have been compressed and in which the exhaust gases from the cylinder 2 are admitted when the valve 15 is open, the-heat of the exhaust gases serving to expand the compressed gases in the cylinder 3 adding greatly to the powei: imparted to the pis-' ton 13.

In Fig. 3 the structure as shown may be used-for a four cycle engine in which event cylinder No. 1 Wlll not be required.

The low pressure c linder has the products of combustion of t e revious charge en trapped and compressed t erein, which gases later on are heated and expanded by the waste gases of combustion of the main cylinder in which the explosion has taken place.

that expanded for compressing the gases in said cylinder. The efiiciency of the engine is increased and the power made greater by expanding the compressed gases 1n the low compression cylinder by the heat of the exhaust gases from the main or smaller cylinder.

While I have herein shown one means by which my method of procedure may be carried into execution and have described in some detail the construction of such a mechaneed not be essentially as shown, as it is quite evident that a larger diameter of this piston will utilize the fuel to a greater extent by the pressure that is imposed upon it.

The extended expansion of the gases in the second cylinder, from the one in which the initial expansion has taken place, has the great advantage of prolonging the time period for the combustion to act advantageously upon the cranks during the power stroke, so that maximum eflect of the burning gases is maintained during, substantially, the entire continuance of about threefourths of a revolution of the crank shaft.

Having described my invention, what I claim is d 1. The method of operating internal combustion engines, which consists in compressing a charge in a cylinder; transferring the charge, in a highly compressed condition, into the combustion space of the second cylinder'when the piston thereof is near its instroke; compressing air and products of combustion in a third cylinder; igniting the mixture in the second cylinder and expanding the gas thereof into said third cylinder when the piston thereof is about to begin its power stroke and when the piston of the second cylinder has completed a predetermined part of its power stroke.

. 2. The method of operating internal combustion engines, which consists in compressing a charge in a cylinder; transferring the charge, in a highly compressed condition, into the combustion space of a second cylinder, when the piston thereof is near the end of its in-stroke; igniting the mixture and expanding the resultant gas into a third cylinder in which a portion of the products of combustion of a previous charge has been compressed, when the piston thereof is about to commence its power stroke and at a time when the piston of the second cylinder has completed about one half of its power stroke.

3. Themethod of operating internal combustion engines which consists in compressing a charge in a cylinder; transferring the charge, in a highly compressed condition, into the combustion space of a second cylinder, the piston of which has reached the substantial end of its in-stroke simultaneously with the piston of the first cylinder; compressing products of combustion in said third cylinder; ignitingthe mixture in the second cylinder and expanding the resultant gases in a third cylinder at a time when the power stroke of the third cylinder is started and the power stroke of the second cylinder is half completed.

4. The method of operating gas engines which consists in expanding a charge in one cylinder and at substantially half stroke of the piston thereof, admitting the resultant gases into another cylinder in which the piston is just beginning its power stroke and in which gases from a previous explosion are compressed.

5. The method of operating internal combustion engines which consists in igniting a charge in one cylinder and while the piston thereof is at mid-stroke, admitting a portion of the gases into anothercylinder containing compressed gases, the piston whereof is about to be in its power stroke.

6. The method of operating internal com; bustion engines which consists in igniting a charge in one cylinder and while the piston thereof is at mid-stroke admitting a portion of the gases into another cylinder, of larger diameter containing compressed gases, the piston whereof is about to begin its power stroke and completing the power stroke of the first piston at reduced pressure.

7. The method of operating internal combustion engines which consists in igniting a charge in one cylinder, using the gases in said cylinder and in a second cylinder containing compressed gases of a prior explosion, the crank of which is at substantial right angles to the crank of the first cylinder and which immediately follows the first crank, in direction of movement, so that the power impulse of the second cylinder sup-' plements that of the first cylinder in a given revolution of the engine shaft.

cylinder and which follows the first crankv immediately in direction of movement, so' that the power impulse of the second cylinder supplements that of thefirst cylinder.

9. The method of operating gas engines which consists in ex anding a charge in one cylinder and at su stantially half stroke thereof admitting the resulting gases into another cylinder containing compressed gases of a previous explosion and in which the piston is just beginning its power stroke and -whereby to compress a charge in one cylin der; a valve, having a spring to close it,

1 controlling communication between the first and second cylinder; a port between the second and third cylinder opened when the piston ,of the second cylinder is at mid- .stroke position and a third cylinder having a piston and a crank at right angles to the crank of the first and second cylinders and immediately following in direction of motion.

11. The method of increasing the efliciency of an internal combustion engine which consists in expanding the gases in a cylinder by combustion; compressing products of combustion of a previous charge in a second cylinder and admitting the partly expanded gases of the first cylinder into the second cylinder with the compressed gases after the piston of the first cylinder has made a portion of its'power stroke.

12. The method of increasing the efliciency of an internal combustion engine which consists in compressing a fuel charge in a cylinder; transferring the charge to a second cylinder; expanding the gases in the second cylinder by combustion; compressing a part of the products of combustion of a previous charge in a third cylinder and admitting the partly expanded gases of the second cylinder into the third cylinder with the compressed ases after the piston of the second cylin er has made a portion of its power stroke.

13. In an internal combustion engine the combination 'of the main cylinder with an intake valve for the supply of fuel; a second cylinder connected with its piston to the same crank shaft as that of the first cylinder but disposed at 90 to 180 degrees. therefrom; a valve for controlling communication between the two cylinders; means for opening the said valve at a predetermined time for the passage of gases of combustion from the first cylinder into the second cylinder; an exhaust valve in the latter; means to keep the said exhaust valve open during exhaust and suction stroke of the piston of said second c linder and for keeping it closed during t e next up stroke and during the following down stroke whereby gases of combustion will be entrapped and compressed in the second cylinder and heated and expanded by the gases from the main cylinder.

In testimony whereof I hereunto sub-r scribe my name.

HENRY WIESNER. 

